Fifteen Reasons to Get On A Plane

It's all about SE Asia. Thailand to be specific.

I'm heading there in less than a week and it seemed like a good time to get set up in a way that makes it easy for people to stay connected. So, here I am, blogging. Sounds more like a form of Maritime dance than a way to communicate, if you ask me. But if it keeps us all up to date, even from half a world away, then I'm in.

This will be a solo trip. Yup. By myself. Funny how it's worked out this time, not at all what I expected. But once I got my head around it, determined the safety of my traveling alone, and realized that I was going back to see the kids at Hot Springs...well...it kind of feels like Christmas, and I'm, like, six!!!

Fifteen children who live in the foothills of the Himalayas, about an hour northwest of Chiang Mai, in a place called Hot Springs Orphan Home, that's whom I'm going to see. These are the kids Highview sponsors. These are the kids who'll meet me at the airport. These are the kids who've wrecked my heart.

My flight leaves Toronto at 6 p.m. October 14. The plan is to stay in Chiang Mai for the first three days, get over my jet lag a bit, visit friends at Doi Saket (more sweet children actually), and then head up to Hot Springs for a full seven day visit.

I get to be "Eyi Rut" - Granny Ruth - to our 15 orphans. What a gift! Dave Atkins (Asia's Hope Executive Director) has granted me "spoiling privileges", reminding me that these kids don't have any favourite aunt or gramma to come visit them for the holidays, arriving with gifts and gum in her pocket. I get to be that Granny! What fun!

Thank you.

Thank you. All of you who have supported my going, financially or holding down the fort at home or at the church so I can go….Thank you. So much. Ken, thank you especially.

The events of our lives these past four months have pushed me to the edges of myself on so many levels. There has been no end to the list of hard things to face and hard work to do. The demands have been relentless, the joys hard won through obedient faith.

But this….this is joy for my soul. This is rest for my spirit. This is a gift to ease the longings that have pestered my heart since the day I got on the plane to come home last February.

So…I’ll keep you “posted”. See, I’m getting the hang of the lingo already!!!!

Ruth Anne